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The Rangers blew a 7-run lead by allowing 13 unanswered Indians runs
Tuesday’s Say Hey, Baseball sifts through the wreckage of the Rangers’ lead, Game 1 of the College World Series, and the only correct NL All-Star ballot.
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
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Remember in 2016 when the Rangers had all kinds of luck on their side, and it helped them post a 36-11 record in one-run games? Well, 2017 has been about trying to restore balance to the universe, and the scales it’s using for that task hit the Rangers right in the face Monday night.
Texas went up on the Indians, 7-1, after their first two innings at bat, and led by seven runs, 9-2, after their fourth time up. That would be all the Rangers would score in the game, though, as all they could do was sit and watch Cleveland catch up and then overtake them to win the game, 15-9, courtesy of 13 unanswered runs.
Cole Hamels, in his first start back from the disabled list, allowed one run each in three of the first four frames and then came completely unglued in the fifth, notching just one out in the inning while giving up four more runs. The Rangers’ pen then did even worse, with Tanner Scheppers and Preston Claiborne both allowing three runs, and Alex Claudio picking up a blown save thanks to the pair of runs he gave up to Cleveland.
The defending AL West champion Rangers are now 38-38, haven’t spent a day in first place all season and topped out at three games over .500, a figure they haven’t reached again for over a month. They sit 13.5 back of the Astros, but all hope is not lost: They’re just two games out of a wild card spot, as the 39-35 Twins are holding onto the second one in the AL.
Of course, the Rangers would probably already have a wild card spot if they were better in one-run games this year. Baseball is cruel like that.
- There is only one correct ballot to use when voting for the National League’s all-stars, and Grant Brisbee wrote it. Feel free to use it if you want to be right.
- The Cubs ended up holding off the Nationals for a 5-4 win to kick off their series, and they can thank Javier Baez’s defense for helping them to that. Baez made two impressive grabs during the game, and who knows what might have happened if he hadn’t.
- The Florida Gators took Game 1 of the College World Series, 4-3.
- That one-run difference has to sting for LSU, since they had a clearly safe baserunner called out on a non-reviewable play.
- Then again, Florida had a baserunner called out at second on a real, real close play, too.
- LSU shortstop Kramer Robertson has had a rough defensive tournament, and that continued when he botched another routine grounder.
- He might have made up for it later with this diving catch, but as with the game, Florida one-upped LSU on that note, too.
- Here’s what you need to know to watch Game 2 of the College World Series, where LSU has to tie things up or lose the finals.
- Tim Tebow was promoted to High-A, so it’s time for another installment of the Tim Tebow Watch Watch.
- Michael Baumann is here to remind you that Kyle Schwarber was never as good as you thought, but also, that he’s not this bad.
- The Marlins traded shortstop Adeiny Hechavaria to the Rays, and according to Daniel Russell, this move shows the Rays mean business in 2017.
- Here’s the lineup for the 2017 All-Star Legends and Celebrity game, and it’s a mix of people you may or may not know!
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